Heart rate detection and monitoring is an important process for many individuals. Heart rate monitoring can be desirable for both medical and fitness purposes. Individuals with medical issues related to the heart need to closely monitor their heart rates to ensure that the results do not fall outside of a prescribed range. Similarly, many individuals wear heart monitors while working out or participating in sports. Doing so allows the individual to alter their activity to optimize their heart rate for providing the maximum physical fitness benefits, as well as or alternatively to avoid over-stressing their heart.
There are many types of heart rate monitors available to consumers. Most are very bulky and cumbersome. For example, many conventional heart rate monitors include a strap that must be accurately placed around the individual's chest and worn during monitoring. The strap communicates wirelessly with a separate device that is typically worn on the individual's wrist, e.g., interfacing with a watch or bike computer. These types of devices are uncomfortable and require multiple components to be worn or used by the individual.
Other conventional heart rate monitors attempt to utilize photodiodes and LEDs that contact a person's skin (e.g., mounted on a rear side of a watch or device worn on a person's wrist) to measure the light absorption in the blood flowing through the wrist. Because these types of monitors require continuous skin contact, these measurements are often inaccurate as the device bounces around, moves, or encounters sweat or dirt.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and methods that address these and other needs.